Distracted Driving Danger

Each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.   In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, compared to 3,267 in 2010. Even in 2013, there are many drivers that are unfocused behind the wheel due to easily avoidable distractions.  Behavioral driving is dangerous and occurs throughout the entire United States every day.

When you first think of distracted driving, mobile phones are most likely what comes to mind. Many of us have been told that texting and talking on the phone while driving are dangerous distractions and should be avoided at all costs. There are many other distractions while driving such as eating, drinking, reading a map, using a GPS, grooming yourself, changing the radio station and talking to another passenger.  These are all significant ways to distract someone behind the wheel.

While driving, there

are three main types of distractions. The first kind of distraction is a visual distraction or taking your eyes off the road. There are many things that may cause someone to look away while driving such as reading a map, glancing at your GPS, or searching through your phone. The second type of distraction is a manual distraction, which is physically removing your hands off the wheel. Many people may reach to change the radio station or try and grab a fallen item that dropped between the seats. These are two perfect examples of a manual distraction and should be excluded while driving. The third main distraction is a cognitive distraction. This may be as simple as talking on your cell phone rather than paying attention to the road or as pretentious as taking the risk driving under the influence of alcohol.

While any of these distractions can definitely endanger the driver along with passengers and pedestrians, texting while driving is especially dangerous due to the fact it is a combination of all three types of distractions. Did you know the minimal amount of time your attention is taken away from the road when you’re texting and driving is 5 seconds?  If you’re traveling at 55 mph, this equals driving the length of a football field without looking at the road. It’s safe to say that texting and driving is just waiting for an accident to happen.  We at TVISupply encourage you to drive safe and avoid all distractions while driving this summer.